Spathiphyllum plant named &#39;SPAVEWIBLO&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Spathiphyllum  plant named ‘Spavewiblo’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit; freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants; glossy dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; white-colored spathes that are positioned slightly to clearly above the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes; and good inflorescence longevity.

Botanical designation: Spathiphyllum Schott.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SPAVEWIBLO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum Schott. and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Spavewiblo’.

The new Spathiphyllum plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new year-round flowering Spathiphyllum plants that have glossy dark green-colored leaves, large white-colored spathes and good postproduction longevity.

The new Spathiphyllum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in December, 2012 of a proprietary selection of Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20113426-14, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20121417-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Spathiphyllum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands in May, 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Spathiphyllum plant by in vitro meristem culture in a controlled environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands since June, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Spathiphyllum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Spavewiblo’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Spavewiblo’ as a new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant:

1. Relatively compact, upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit.

2. Freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants.

3. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.

4. Freely flowering habit.

5. White-colored spathes that are positioned slightly to clearly above the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes.

6. Good inflorescence longevity.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are shorter than plants of the female parent selection.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are darker green in color than leaves of plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are taller than plants of the male parent selection.

2. Spathes of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are white in color whereas spathes of plants of the male parent selection are creamy white in color.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum can also be compared to plants of Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Spaamerigro’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 31,332. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of ‘Spaamerigro’ in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are shorter than plants of ‘Spaamerigro’.

2. Leaves of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are darker green in color than leaves of plants of ‘Spaamerigro’.

3. Scapes of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are shorter than scapes of plants of ‘Spaamerigro’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Spathiphyllum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Spathiphyllum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 of 3) is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Spavewiblo’ grown in a container and is the same photograph as filed in the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 62/918,087.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 of 3) is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Spavewiblo’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the third sheet (FIG. 3 of 3) is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Spavewiblo’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the autumn and winter in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Spathiphyllum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 30° C., night temperatures ranged from 19° C. to 24° C. and light levels averaged 5 klux. Plants were 24 weeks from transplanting rooted young plants when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Spavewiblo’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20113426-14,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20121417-01,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 13 days at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 119 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 130 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact, upright,             outwardly arching and uniform plant habit; overall plant             shape, broadly inverted triangle; moderately vigorous growth             habit and slow to moderate growth rate.         -   Clumping habit.—Freely clumping habit, bushy and dense             growth habit with about eleven clumps developing per plant.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About             32.8 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of             inflorescences.—About 48 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 51.5 cm.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 24.1 cm. Width: About 7.4 cm. Shape: Narrowly ovate.             Apex: Apiculate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; slightly             undulate; not lobed. Texture and luster, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy to glossy. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             Close to between 143A and 144A. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Darker than between 139A and N189A; venation, close             to NN137B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to             NN137C; venation, close to 146C. Petioles: Length (excluding             geniculum): About 13.2 cm. Diameter, just below geniculum:             About 4 mm. Diameter, at plant base: About 9 mm. Strength:             Strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to             145C. Color, lower surface: Close to 143A to 143B. Geniculum             length: About 3.3 cm. Geniculum diameter: About 4.5 mm.             Geniculum texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Geniculum color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 143B to 143C. Wing length: About 12.7 cm.             Wing diameter: About 8 mm. Wing color: Close to 137A to             137B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement and flowering habit.—Moderately to             strongly cupped erect spathes with columnar spadices held             slightly above to clearly above the foliar plane on strong             and erect scapes; flowering structures arise from leaf             axils; plants begin flowering about five months after             transplanting rooted young plants; freely and continuous             flowering year-round under greenhouse conditions in The             Netherlands; freely flowering habit, typically about ten             inflorescences developing per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; fragrance, sweet and             pleasant.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last more than three             weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length: About 14.1 cm. Width: About 5.1 cm. Depth:             About 2.8 cm. Shape: Elliptic to slightly ovate. Apex:             Apiculate; slightly twisting. Base: Attenuate. Margin:             Entire; distally, somewhat incurved. Texture and luster,             front surface: Smooth, glabrous; somewhat leathery; slightly             glossy. Texture and luster, rear surface: Smooth, glabrous;             somewhat leathery; moderately glossy. Color: When             developing, front surface: Close to 155C; apex, close to             143B. When developing, rear surface: Close to 155A to 155C;             apex, close to 143B; main vein, close to 144A. Fully             developed, front surface: Close to NN155A to NN155B; apex,             close to 144A; main vein, close to 148D; color does not             change with development. Fully developed, rear surface:             Close to NN155A; apex, close to 144A; main vein, close to             143B; color does not change with development.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm. Shape:             Columnar; apex, obtuse; base, obtuse; cross-section,             circular. Aspect: Close to erect, about 5° from scape axis.             Color, immature: Close to 145C. Color, mature: Close to             157D. Flowers: Quantity per spadix: Numerous, about 200.             Shape: Rounded. Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Anther color: Close to NN155A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen             color: Close to 155B to 155C. Stigma color: Close to 158D.             Ovary color: Close to 157D.         -   Scapes.—Length: About 33.5 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Close to 143B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Spathiphyllum. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Spathiphyllum     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common     to Spathiphyllum plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to     about 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 13. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spavewiblo’ as illustrated and described. 